Anal Retentive Dog

[EmmaP]

If anyone has any ideas on my dilemma, I would certainly love to here them....

My wonderful pooch (pug/shar pei mix I got from Guardian Angels Pug Rescue) will not poop in the yard, unless it's an absolute emergency. We've had her for three years and I can count the number of times she has pooped in our yard on one hand. We have to take her for a walk in order for her to relieve herself. We think it has something to do with all the nifty smells she finds while we're out and about. We usually take her on three walks a day and when she perfectly on schedule, she poops twice a day -- first thing in the morning then again 10-12 hours later.

However, in inclement weather (rain or snow), she becomes "irregular" and sometimes will only go once a day. First of all, she despises going outside in the rain or snow...but we drag her out anyway. But we're going to be in for another long winter with a dog who won't poop regularly. We assume it's because she can't get good smells in the snow, but we're not sure. I know metabolism slows down in the colder winter months - would that have anything to do with her not having to go as much? :crazy:

Does anyone else's dog have a problem like this...or is my dog unique in more ways than just her looks? :shrug:

[IndyOp]

1. I don't know if there is a 'solution' - but she sounds pretty normal...

My dogs poop twice a day like clockwork. While they do have certain locations they like to use, I don't think it is the smells they need, but the walking. Walking sort of 'kick-starts' the pooping. I know that they must have really needed to go if they poop just after we get started on our walk, otherwise it takes a bit of walking before they become 'productive'. My Golden will 'hold it' for up to 24 hours if it is raining hard when we go for our walk. He just looks at me as if I am insane to even try getting him to go when what we should be is hightailing home! I think your dog would use the backyard if she really need to go... If she eats well, drinks plenty of water, and her poops are generally 'healthy', I would suggest that you trust her system to self-regulate and not worry whether or not she has pooped. If it is miserably cold and she won't go in the backyard in the morning, she will most likely do it by afternoon/evening.

:)

[Tab]

2. It could be anything, particularly being a rescue

You don't say how old she is, but you could devote a week or two to crate training.

Keep her in her crate until she poops outside. To entice her into her crate, particularly if she is food-oriented, feed her in the crate. Have a crate big enough for her to stand and turn around, but not so big that she can poop in one corner and lie in another.

Then a couple of times a day, take her out to the yard. If she poops, then let her loose inside (if that's where you let her be). If she doesn't return her to her crate. Eventually, she'll HAVE to poop, and if the yard is the only opportunity, then that's what she'll do. Remember, the bowel is mightier than the brain.

It may not be a happy few weeks, particularly if she would be the kind to howl if locked in her crate, but if you can get through it, you'll have a dog that will poop when she goes outside, hopefully on the first opportunity.

[RebelOne]

3. My dog won't go out in the rain for the simple

reason is that she doesn't like to get wet.

[CottonBear]

4. Maybe she needs a waterproof dog turnout blanket. Link:

Polar Shield Dog Blanket

600 ripstop waterproof poly outer shell with 200 gram poly fill. Breathable 210 lining. Double buckle front, adjustable belly-wrap with quick-grip closures and cut out for tail. Shoulder gussets allow freedom of movement.Sizes: XS (12-14), Small (up to 19), Medium (up to 25), Large (up to 31), XLG (up to 37).

http://www.nationalbridle.com/Shopping/default.asp
*********************************************************************
Turnout Dog Blanket (This one is made like a horse blanket.)
Surcingles for a secure fit. Nylon outer shell lined with warm fleece. Bias surcingles and front strap for adjustability. USA. In navy/red or navy/green. Sizes are measured from center of chest to back of hip. XS(16"), S(18"), M(21").

http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.asp?pn=X1%2D5407
*********************************************************************
Dogwarm USA Tradewinds II Blanket
Heavyweight Thinsulate thermal insulation with ripstop nylon lining and water-repellent outer fabric of nylon Scotchlite. Convenient Velcro¨ tab closures for comfortable fit. Reflective piping. Machine wash; line dry. Recommended for temperatures -10 degrees F to +40 degrees F. In purple/hunter, navy/hunter or hunter/navy. XS, S, S/M

http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.asp?pn=X1%2D24192

edit: replace bad National Bridle Shop link

[EmmaP]

5. She's housebroken

The problem isn't that she goes in the house or even that she won't go in the yard, as we go for several walks a day no matter what. The problem is that when it's either cold or rainy outside, getting her to poop is quite an ordeal. We go for the same length walk no matter what the weather (unless it's absolutely pouring down rain or below 20 degrees), but she just doesn't like to poop in the rain or the snow and I worry that she's "holding it" due to inclement weather and that it's not good for her to do that.

There have been a couple of occasions when she has refused to go in bad weather and, upon seeing another dog out the window, she has barked and jumped around so much that a little poop "nugget" came flying out. She had quite the shocked look on her face!

She just turned four years old in August and we've had her for three years. She's been persnickety about inclement weather ever since we got her.

Oh, and she's got quite the wardrobe....fleece coats, a barn jacket, a rain coat, a waterproof fleece coat, a sweater.... We've tried to get her to wear boots, but she just lays down and tries to chew them off her feet.

[hippiechick]

6. She probably considers the yard as part of 'the house'

My dogs are like that, too ... they'll pee in the backyard, but will wait to poop until we're out of our 'zone'. Although if they really gotta go, they'll go as soon as they're outside.

They just prefer to be 'out of their own yard' to do their business.

Just a thought ....